Sunday, 27 November 2011

just to recap, the above image was my initial inspirationand here is my finished piece. i photographed it this time with flash which has brought out the reflective thread. i have found it quite difficult making the decisions that have got me here but i at least am pleased with it. after feedback to my last post and thank you everyone who has added comments, i went back to the drawing board and had a rethink. i really felt what i had was far too busy although i was really happy with the plastic spoons! so i simplified my ideas. it is very hard getting rid of things but it has to be done sometimes.i decided what i really was pleased with was the back panel and the strip of letters. so i thought in order to tie them together (not physically) i would work another piece based on the first panel but re-arrange the letters and possibly cut them out. this time i worked them in the bright colours from the door but still with the reflective thread outlining. i chose a pink, blue, yellow and green and worked the same stitch as the first panel.See above. afterwards i stencilled dots as with the other panel but this time in the space around the letters. you wouldn't believe how long i looked at the 3 pieces hanging together in various configurations before i finally plucked up the courage to CUT! i loved the new piece but didn't feel it worked 'as a whole'.a detail of the 3 together showing the final cut up piece, it was worth the cutting i feel as now you can really see all 3 layers. it looks slightly grey but i think it is mainly the way i have photographed it.a side view showing the 3 layers together.i also thought long and hard bout the hanging mechanism and decided i wanted them to appear 'floating' in the air as if the letters had just come off the door, so they are each individually suspended with fishing line. the first panel has a piece of 'Melinex' or Mylar to the Americans stitched along the reverse at the top and lower edges to stop them curling, again stitched with fishing line so it isn't visible. to give the s&m (Sounds odd)in the next panel stability they also have a Melinex backing. i think with this hanging solution they could all be re arranged if necessary.Total time taken:(including pieces made but not used) 100hrsCosting:organdie £12.24reflective yarn £02.00flourescent yarn £00.50Fabric paint £01.00sewing thread £03.00Melinex £01.50felt £03.50

Friday, 11 November 2011

i started work on this piece way back in the summer after my initial proposal way back when! after Sian's suggestions and feedback i decided to get on with it and work my first section. but just to recap, i proposed to work a series of semi transparent layers, cut them up and try embedding something in resin!i changed the size to 36.5cm wide x 99cm long (initial proposal too small) but still in proportion to the door. Above first section worked on undyed cotton organdie. outline worked in retroflective thread with brown and purple random hand stitches worked to imitate loosely spray actions.i then sat with this while i went on to the next panel which incorporated a piece of paper taken from a similar door which was composed of printed circles. i then went back to panel 1 and printed some black circles randomly on the letters.section 2- thought i would now work with a series of letters taken from a section of the door and went back to a previous idea of letters along an edge. the plan was to make various letters from the words 'feed me' and then attach them to an edge of organdie. once i had made the letters i had an epiphany and decided to just link them to each otherabove and below detail of letters some made with felt base and others completely transparent. i used found paper, a print of the door, some of my notes on the project, tissue paper and organdie with hand stitch and polyester film to encapsulate everything.the next section (apologies for colour but it is on undyed organdie!)i took an image and repeated it by making a stencil and using fabric paint in purple with white spots on top. found plastic spoons were attached (a reference from the door)and some fuzzy felt letters which i still have to attach.detaili then made another panel with the same image as the first but stencilled the letters with brown fabric paint and outlines with retroflective thread.detailthen i tried various mock ups- above mock up shows first panel with second over top. it was at this point i did the brown panel to go under for extra emphasis, but i wasn't sure i liked the outcome.i then did the above mock up with the brown 'panel' behind, spoons and letters over it and the paper cut outs are a possible idea for cutting up the first panel and linking the letters but i am not sure whether to just use the single layer of organdie or to stitch them onto the clear polyester film to give them rigidity?! i have ruled out the resin idea. some good shadows are possible with this arrangement but i am wondering whether it is all too busy but then so is the door!for display the sections would be staggered with space between them or cut out and pinned onto a solid backboard so they stand out? any suggestions?

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About Me

Aka, Max the lobster is born

I love textiles, I work with historic textiles and I make new ones. Like historic textiles mine use all kinds of media. I love working with paper, metal and re-employed items but I am not averse to trying new materials. I have a 'low tech' attitude to making.

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Please respect the artwork on this blog it is subject to copyright and should you want to reproduce anything it would be nice to be asked first!Thank you